Time for Chargers to let Korey Toomer run show at ILB

Time for Chargers to let Korey Toomer run show at ILB

The numbers don’t lie, and neither does the tape on both middle linebacker Denzel Perryman and his fellow inside linebacker Korey Toomer in 2017.

And it’s high time that the coaching staff pays close attention to them.

Perryman has yet to have a healthy season in his three years in the NFL and has managed just six starts in 2017. In those games, Perryman has posted only 34 tackles and a ghastly Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 48.3. Though PFF isn’t perfect, they are trustworthy with their grades often aligning with what tape would show anyone with a trained eye.

Meanwhile, Toomer posted the NFL’s highest PFF grade for an inside linebacker Week 16 against the Jets at 91.0. This isn’t anything new for Toomer as he is the only linebacker on Los Angeles’ roster with a PFF grade above 80 in 2017.

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Toomer posted one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, one sack, one forced fumble and seven combined tackles (five solo) Sunday in Perryman’s sted. Though he has only seen seven starts at inside linebacker in 2017 (one more than Perryman) he has 11 more tackles, two forced fumbles (Perryman has zero), three passes defensed (Perryman has zero) and even has a touchdown on a 59-yard pick-six.

With Perryman’s oft-injured nature and consistent lack of natural playmaking ability that Toomer has demonstrated in spades, it’s time that coach Anthony Lynn rolls with the more impactful player regardless if Perryman recovers from his hamstring injury in time for the Raiders game Week 17 on New Year’s Eve.